ench's International Copyrighted (in England, her Colonies, and 
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BEFORE THE 

RUMMAGE SALE 

Hn Entertainment (n ®ne Bet 

BT 

G. S. SHEPHARD 



Copyright, 1913, by Samuel French 



NOTIGE.-The Professional acting rights of this play are re- 
ser-ved by the publisher, and permission for such perform- 
ances must be obtained before performances are ^i-ren. This 
notice does not apply to amateurs, ^vho may perform the play 
without permission. All unauthorized professional pro- 
ductions will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law^. 



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New York 
SAMUEL FRENCH 

PUBLISHER 

28-30 WEST 38th STREET 



London 

SAMUEL FRENCH, Ltd. 

26 Southampton Street 

STRAND 



BEFORE THE 

RUMMAGE SALE 

an Entertainment in One Bet 



BY 

G. S. SHEPHARD 



Copyright, 1913, by Samuel Feexch 



NoTiCB.— The Professional acting rights of this play are reserved by 
the publisher, and permission for such performances must be ob- 

. tained before performances are given. This notice does not appij- 
to amateurs, who may perform the play without permission. All 
unauthorized professional productions will be protsecuted to the 
full extent of the law. 



Ne^v York | Lovdon 

SAMUEL FRENCH SAMUEL FRENXH. Ltd. 

PUBLISHER 26 Southampton Street 

28^30 WEST 35th Street i STRAND 






V 



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©olD 339 5 5 



Before the Rummage Sale 



Mrs. Cordelia Davenport. . .President Women's 

Alliance 
Mrs. Emily Ci'i ask. .Treasurer Women's Alliance 
Mrs. Caroline Glenn 1 

Mrs. Alice Hill > .Members of Committee 

Mrs. Mildred Bailey J 

Miss Ellen Mills Organist of the Church 

Miss Dorothy Davenport 
Miss Betty Glenn 
Miss Lottie Brewster 
Miss Clara Chase 
Miss Minnie Thayer 
Miss Nellie Hill 
Miss Evelyn Sims 
Miss Kate McNeil 

Members of Young People's League 

Nora Mrs. Davenport's maid 

Meg Deheny Girl from the slums 

Mrs. Johnson Wife of janitor 

Nellie Reed School girl 

Scene : — Lecture Room of the Cyprian Avenue 
Church, town of Ladonia, California. 

Time : — The afternoon previous to the Rummage 
Sale to be held by the Women's Alliance of the 
Church. 

The full stage is required. Double doors 
3 



4 BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 

(practical) r. i e. and l. i e. Side walls are set 
in a little to give the effect of small lobby at these 
entrances. A window (practical) r. 2 E. Frame 
for candy booth up R. c. Same for Gypsy Fortune- 
teller's booth up L. c. Doors, (practical up c. and 

R. 3 E. 

Plain deal tables arranged as counters along walls 
R. and L., one l. c, with spaces between for workers 
to get in and out. On tables and on floor near 
them, bundles of clothing, hats, etc. One bundle 
well down front on floor. 

(// this arrangement of tables is not practicable, 
they may be arranged according to the exigencies 
of the stage, only so as not to interfere with the 
action as it proceeds.) 

COSTUMES. 

Ordfnary street dress for ladies and girls. 
Meg, shabby dress and shoes and long coat, also 
very shabby. No hat. 

Mrs. Johnson. Plain working dress and long 
kitchen apron, rather shabby hat and either shawl 
or jacket when leaving. 

Costumes for dance according to whatever dance 
is chosen. 



Before the Rummage Sale 



As curtain goes up, girls discovered decorating 
booth up R. c. and singing The Old Oaken Bucket. 
Mrs. Davenport discovered at table r., looking 
over things eagerly. Meg peers in at door l. i e. 
and enters cautiously, crossing steathily to table 
down L. where she stands listening eagerly to music. 

Dorothy, (at conclusion of song, while girls 
proceed with decorating, calling from up c.) Did 
you tell Mr. Johnson to get here early, Mamma? 
We can't have the well and the *' Old Oaken 
Bucket " and all that sort of thing for the lemonade 
booth if he doesn't get here to help us out. 

Mrs. Davenport. I told him to come early, but 
you knovv^ his failing, my dear. 

{Girls go on decorating, passing in and out r. 3 e. 
Mrs. Davenport takes dress from bundle on 
table R. and examines it carefidly.) 

Meg. (apart, jerking pair of red stockings from 
table down l. and dangling them) Gee! Get onto 
de hosiery! (glances furtively about, rolls them up 
swiftly and puts them into her coat pocket) 

Mrs. Davenport, (apart, throzving down dress 
and coming doitm zvith light evening coat and ex- 
amining it, zahile Meg moves hastily from table and 
stands l. c.) Why on earth doesn't Nora come? 
(she glances toward l. i e. and sees Meg) 



6 BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 

Mrs. Davenport, (sharply) What are you doing 
here, girl? 

Meg. Nuttin'. 

Mrs. Davenport. Nothing! Well, go away 
then. This is no place for stragglers. 

Meg. Ain't yer got a sale on ? . 

Mrs. Davenport. Not until to-morrow. We're 
just getting things ready to-day. You can come 
back to-morrow if you want to buy anything. Run 
along, now. I've no time to be interrupted, (dur- 
ing this Mrs. Johnson enters from church r. i e. 
with dust pan and broom) 

Mrs. Johnson, (crossing c.) Go along, Meg. 
Don't you hear the lady talking? (exit Meg slozvly 

L. I E.) 

Mrs. Johnson, (brushing dozvn c.) She heard 
the singin', I guess, and sneaked in on account o' 
that. She seems just crazy for music. Lots o' 
times when I've been takin' Mr. Johnson's place, 
I've found her curled up in the back seat listenin' 
to the choir practice ; and sometimes when Miss 
Mills is just there practicing alone, I've come across 
her hunched down at the foot of the choir steps, 
listenin' like she was just bewitched. 

Mrs. Davenport, (still sorting things at table r.) 
Who is she? Where does she live? 

Mrs. Johnson. Her name's Meg. That's all I 
could ever get out of her. Oncet I asked her if she 
didn't want to join the Sunday School and she 
stuck out her tongue at me and made up the 
awfullest face you ever saw. And then she run off, 
laughin' fit to kill. She ain't got no sign of manners, 
but there's something about her that you kind of 
feel as if she might amount to something, mebbe, if 
she had a show. 

Dorothy, (calling from up c.) Oh, Mrs. John- 
son, isn't Mr. Johnson going to be here to help us 
this afternoon? 



BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 7 

Mrs. Johnson, {apologetically) Why, no, Miss 
Dor'thy, he was took real bad with the rheumatism 
this mornins:. I tell him it looks like he always 
does get taken extry bad when there's any hard 
work on hand ; but I don't know as he's any worse 
than the rest of the men sex. They'll all slide out 
of work if they can. And I daresn't to say too 
much to him when he gets kind of cranky with 
rheumatism that way. He was rantin' round this 
mornin' about the church not bein' intended for 
vaudeville shows and a clearin' house for old 
clothes; but as I sez to him, sez I, ** Where'd you 
have been, Ezry Johnson, these last two years, if it 
hadn't been for Rummage Sales?" Why, I got 
him a perfectly elegant overcoat last year at the 
Baptist sale for five dollars. 

Dorothy, (coming down) Well, it's a perfect 
nuisance having this sale just the day before our 
own entertainment comes off. We can't half 
decorate this room, and we've got to poke our main 
booths off into that side room that isn't half big 
enough. 

Mrs. Davenport, (sanctimoniously, zuhile she 
tags things at table R.) Nothing is a nuisance that 
is done in the cause of Charity and Christianity, my 
dear. Didn't you just hear Mrs. Johnson telling 
what a boon rummage sales had been to her? Of 
course the conflict fn dates was unfortunate, but 

Dorothy. But how are we going to have our 
final minuet rehearsal with things cluttered up like 
this ? 

Mrs. Davenport. We can move the tables back 
as soon as everything is properly tagged. I told the 
ladies to be here by two o'clock sharp. I suppose 
some of them will show up. 

Mrs. Johnson, (gathering dust into pan) Well, 
there's one that will show up if she's promised to 
come, you can depend on that, and that's Miss Mills. 



8 BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 

I often sez to Ezra, sez I, " Ellen Mills," sez I, " is 
what I call a real Christian. Somehow, you just 
feel as if she couldn't do anything that wa'n't right, 
even if she tried to, she's that firm in her principles. 

Mrs. Davenport, (still marking things at table 
R.) She comes of a family of ministers. 

Mrs. Johnson. Yes, I know, her father was a 
minister and her grandfather, too. But land ! That 
don't always cut sech a figure. I've known 
minister's children that 'ud jest beat the band for 
meanness. 

Dorothy, (who has been carelessly turning over 
things on table down r.) But Mrs. Johnson, we 
must have a step-ladder. And how are we going to 
rig up a well-sv/eep and an old oaken bucket and all 
that sort of thing if Mr. Johnson isn't going to be 
here to help? 

Mrs. Johnson. Oh, land o' goodness, Miss 
Dor'thy ! I've been splittin' the kindlin' ever since 
we was married ; and if I ain't a better carpenter 
than Ezra Johnson ever hoped to be, I will give up. 
You just come along and show me what you want, 
and I'll manage it somehow. (She gathers up dust 
pan and broom hastily and they go up and out r. 3 e. 
The rest of the girls go out after them. Mrs. 
Davenport is still absorbed in examining and tag- 
ging things on table up r.) • 

(Meg peers in door l. i e., slips cautiously across 
to table down l. Begins to turn over things, 
keeping furtive eye on Mrs. Davenport, 
Sound of footsteps outside L. i e. Meg 
glances toward door in fright and then slips 
under table- Is hidden by clothing hanging 
over it.) 

(Enter Nora l. i e. with bundle of clothing in her 
arms. She crosses c. Meg slips out from 



BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 9 

under table and crouches behind it, hidden from 
any one in hall but seen by audience.) 

Mrs. Davenport, (coming down) Oh, Nora, 
you've got here at last. Just drop that bundle on 
the floor or anywhere. I want you to see these 
things, (she picks up dress from table down r.) 
Just look at this dress, (showing) Mrs. Allendale's. 
She's gone into mourning, you know, and she has 
sent down some beautiful things. I happened to 
be here when her coachman brought them, so I 
knew they were hers. I've marked this ten dollars; 
that's as little as I dared make it. And see this 
coat, (shows coat) It will dye perfectly, and it's 
exactly what Dorothy needs. I've put it at five 
dollars. And now I'll tell you what I want you to 
do, Nora. I want you to come here very early to- 
morrow morning. Never mind about the work at 
home ; just leave everything and come. And 
couldn't you get some friend to come with you? 
There are a number of things I want, and of course, 
I shouldn't care to buy them myself 

Nora. Oh, shure, ma'am, I think Katie Callahan 
would come. 

(Sound of footsteps outside l. i e.) 

Mrs. Davenport, (hurriedly tossing things to 
table and crossing l., Nora following) Some of 
the ladies are coming. I'll post you about the other 
things I want to-night. Nora. You may go now. 

Nora. Yes'm. Thank you, ma'am, (e.rit l. i e.) 

(Mrs. Davenport goes back to bundle Nora has 
dropped down c.) 

Meg. (peering out stealthily) Gee ! Wot a graft ! 



TO BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 

(Enter Mrs. Glenn, Mrs. Chase and Mrs. Hill 
L. I E. Meg slips under table again.) 

Mrs. Davenport, (carrying bundle to table down 
I7^) Good afternoon, ladies. You see we have 
plenty of work before us. Mrs. Burnett has just 
sent this bundle, (she opens it and they all look 
at things. Mrs. Chase and Mrs. Hill stroll across 
to table down r.) 

Mrs. Chase, (picking up Allendale dress) Oh, 
what a beautiful gown. We ought to get a good 
price for that. Why, it's only marked ten dollars. 

Mrs. Davenport, (hurrying across, follozued by 
Mrs. Glenn) Now, my dear, v/e mustn't think of 
'' good prices " in a case like this. These things 
cost us nothing, and Vv^e must remember the class of 
people who are to be benefited by a Rummage Sale. 

Mrs. Cpiase. It must have cost eighty, at least. 
If it wasn't just for the looks of things, being a 
Rummage Sale, you know, I would give fifteen for 
it myself, and think I was getting a tremendous 
bargain. 

Mrs. Glenn, (picking up Allendale cloak) 
Here's a handsome thing. You're not going to 
mark it down to ten dollars too, are you? 

Mrs. Davenport, (loftily) Five dollars will pay 
us. That's the price I've marked it. 

Mrs. Hill and Mrs. Glenn, (in chorus) Oh, 
Mrs. Davenport ! 

Mrs. Chase, (taking cloak and examining it) 
But we ni'Ust make something for the Alliance, 
Mrs. Davenport. We're down to bedrock. I'm 
Treasurer, and I know. 

Mrs. Davenport, The Alliance must not enrich 
itself at the expense of the Poor, Mrs. Chase. Be- 
sides, we have the Young People's entertainment 
and the candy and other booths to make money for 
the Alliance. It's a matter of principle with me that 



BEFOI^E THE RUMMAGE SALE ii 

in a sale of this kind, things should be within reach 
of the poorest. 

Betty, (appearing r. 3 e. and calling) Oh, Mrs. 
Chase, Mrs. Hill, all of you. We want you all to 
.come in here and give us the benefit of your advice. 
(exlty 

(Mrs. Glenn and Mrs. Hill go up and out r. 3 e.) 

Mrs. Chase, (tossing coat to table) Well, that 
is certainly cheap enough for any one. (goes up) 

Mrs. Davenport. None too cheap. The Poor 
have many mouths to feed, and a dollar more or 
less m_eans a great deal to them, (goes up. Exeunt 
both r. 3 E.) 

• Meg. (crawling furtively out from under table 
dozvn L. and crossing r. steathily) Gee! But ain't 
she de slick one at de graft, dough! (examines 
things on table. Sound of footsteps outside l. i e.) 
Here's some more o' de bunch, (crouches back of 
:table) 

;(Miss Mills appears in doorway l. i e., a music 
roll under her arm. SJie pauses, looking back.) 

Meg. (peering forward) De organ lady! She's 
all right. 

(Enter Miss Mills and Mrs. Bailey l. i e.) 

Mrs. Bailey, {as they cross c) Yes, indeed, if 
times keep up the way they are, I shall simply have 
to take to patronizing rummage sa^.es myself. Why. 
you absolutely can not get a hat — anything you'd 
wear, you know^for less than twenty-five dollars. 
I just hated to pay it, but I simply had to, because 
I'm going to Mrs. Seller's Bridge Wednesday, and 
I simply had to have something to wear. 



12 BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 

Dorothy, {re-appearing R. 3 e., calling) Oh, 
Mrs. Bailey, you're just the woman we want. Do 
come here and help us out, won't you? And you, 
too. Miss Mills. 

(Mrs. Bailey goes up and she and Dorothy go 
ont R. 3 E.) 

Miss Mills, (laying music roll on table down l.) 
Twenty-five dollars! How can she do it on Harry's 
salary? And I wonder if she dreams I could pay 
twenty- five dollars for a hat. (goes up and out) 

(Meg slips up to table above, examines things on it 
and attempts to hide waist or some small article 
under her coat. Sound of voices and laughter 
R. 3 E. She drops article and comes swiftly 
dozvn. Mrs. Daveport appears r. 3 e. Meg 
darts out r. i E.) 

Mrs. Davenport, (coming dozvn) Ladies, these 
things must all be tagged ready for sale before we 
leave, and the afternoon is very short. We must 
get to work, (ladies come in r. 3 e. and down. 
Meg peers in r. i e., then steps forward steathily) 

Mrs. Davenport, (snatching up tablets of paper 
from table up r. and holding them up) There's 
paper here, and I hope each of you brought a lead 
pencil, as I requested. 

Mrs. Hill, (taking tablet) We ought to have 
some sort of schedule to go by. 

Mrs. Davenport. There's no time for schedules, 
Mrs. Hill. We must simply use our own judgment. 
Only I beg that you will remember that it is the 
Poor who are to benefit by this sale, and mark things 
accordingly. A dollar's difference, of course, means 



BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 13 

very little to you or to me, but to some poor widow 
with a family of children, it means a great deal. 

Meg. (apart, at r.) Aw! She gives me a pain, 
dat one. {she stands ready to dart out again as the 
ladies scatter to different tables) 

Mrs. Hill, (crossing to table l. with Mrs. 
Glenn) You understand, ladies, the tariff's to be 
revised downward. 

(They all set to work sorting and tagging the 
various articles, Mrs. Hill and Mrs. Glenn 
at table l. Mrs. Chase at table l. c. Mrs. 
Davenport at r., Miss Mills at table down l. 
Mrs. Bailey remains up c. helping girls who 
resume decorating of booth up r. c. Table 
dozvn R. is unattended, and Meg crouches be- 
hind it, hidden from those in hall, but seen by 
audience, and surreptitiously examines things 
that she can reach, zvith a viezv to sticking them 
in her pocket or hiding them under her coat. 
Ladies hang overcoats and other clothing on 
hooks in wall back of tables.) 
Mrs. Chase, (at table l. c.) Oh, what a darling 

old bonnet! (holds up old-fashioned gray silk 

bonnet) Where do you suppose it came from? 
Dorothy, (coming dozvn) Oh, girls! Look! 

(takes bonnet from Mrs. Chase) 
Betty, (up c.) Put it on. Dot. (Dorothy puts 

it on) 

(Girls up c. in chorus — ''Put on Your Old Gray 
Bonnet.'') 

(As the song begins, Dorothy dances up c, the 
ladies all stare after her, Meg stops^ her pilfer- 
ing and listens intently. At conclusion of song, 
ladies resume their work.) 



14 BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 

Mrs. Davenport, (bustling across to Miss 
Mills, and beginning to overhaul things on table) 
Ah, here you are, Miss Mills, working away so 
quietly and accomplishing twice as much as the rest 
of us. I always quote you, my dear, as an example 
of duty. Duty ! Where Duty calls, there you will 
find Miss Mills, " steadfast, unmovable," isn't that 
the way the verse runs? But anyway, I always do 
say that you're an example to the whole church. 
(snatches up white lace zvaist) Oh, my dear! Two 
dollars and a half for this? Why, I wouldn't think 
of putting it over a dollar. 

Miss Mills, (abashed) It's really beautiful 
lace, Mrs. Davenport, and it could be cleaned, you 
know. It must have cost ten or twelve dollars. 

Mrs. Davenport. Ah, there you go, talking 
about the cost. How often m^ust I remind you that 
these things cost us nothing, and that our main 
purpose in holding this sale is its benefit to the poor. 
Think how much suffering can be mitigated through 
the winter by a sale like this, furnishing people 
good warm clothing for almost nothing — (catches 
herself) Of course, not that a lace waist is very 
warm, but, er, the principle's the same. The 
principle is just the same. 

Miss Mills. Perhaps I've marked these other 
things too high, (she goes up to end of table 
searching for things) 

Mrs. Davenport, (apart, eagerly examining the 
waist in her hands) I must post Nora about this. 

Miss Mills, (coming dozvn zuith tzvo waists) 
There, you see, one I marked a dollar and a half, 
and this one seemed so very good, I put it at two 
dollars. 

Mrs. Davenport, (examining them carelessly) 
Ah, yes, quite right. Those are substantial. But a 
waist like this (indicating lace one) seems, er, a bit 



BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 15 

of frivolity for a poor person! and yet they like 
their Httle frivolities, the same as we do. We 
mustn't make them too dear for them, (she makes 
a szvift, cursory examination of things on table) 

Miss Mills.' {picking up shabby garments) If 
you think these are marked too high? 

Mrs. Davenport, {waving her aside and starting 
up) Not at all. Not at all. Excellent judgment, 
my dear, excellent judgment. But these little 
frivolities {zvaving her hand toward lace waist) 
even the Poor must be indulged in them occasionally. 
(bustles up to Mrs. Chase's table) 

Miss Mills, {coming down front to bundle on 
floor) The Poor! If she knew how I had to 
skimp and pinch ! And Rose's wedding coming off 
next week ! And I cunt disgrace her with that old 
blue silk; I can't. 

(She opens bundle and gathers up some of the 
things and carries them to table down l. As 
she tosses them to table a vest drops to floor 
zvith thud. Meg peers curiously out from hid- 
ing place. Miss Mills picks up vest and feels 
in pocket. Draws out ten dollar gold piece. 
She starts, looks guiltily about, and slips it 
swiftly into chatelaine bag hanging from her 
belt. 'Then snatches up the rest of the clothing 
and tosses it all to table down l.) 

Meg. {in shocked voice) De organ lady!! I 
tought she was on de level. Oh, wot's de use? 
(begins to overturn things on the table szmftly and 
furtively, stuffing what she can under her coat. 
All must be done with swift glances in all directions 
to see that no one is watching her) 

Betty, (calling from up c.) Hurry up with your 
tagging, good people. Some of the girls have to 



i6 BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 

leave early, and we want these tables out of the way 
to rehearse our minuet. 

Mrs. Chase, (at table up l. c.) Say, look in the 
pockets of these things, everybody. A nickel just 
dropped out of this coat. 

Mrs. Glenn, (at table up l.) Ten cents ! (holds 
it up) What shall we do with it? 

Mrs. Bailey, (in candy booth up r. c.) Give it 
to the cause. Here, put it in this candy box. 
(comes dozvn with box) 

Mrs. Hill, (at table up l.) Nickel to the cause. 

Mrs. Glenn. Twenty-five cents to the cause. 
Oh, what a careless man ! 

Mrs. Chase. How careless his wife was, you 
mean. 

(Meg, behind table down r., searches frantically in 
pocket of coat hanging over the edge, drops it 
finally, clutching something in her hand, slips 
out from under table and makes her way 
cautiously tozvard r. i e.) 

Meg. (pausing and drawing forth coin) A 
copper! Say, wouldn't dat jar yer? (she slips back 
again and hides in overcoat hanging dozvn r.) 

(Miss Mills stands as if thinking deeply and 
guiltily. Betty, coming down, throws her arm 
around her suddenly. Miss Mills starts 
violently with little shriek.) 

Betty, (laughing) Why, I had no idea you were 
such a nervous person, Miss Mills. We want you 
to play for our dance, please. 

(Calling from up c.) Betty! Betty! Betty! 



BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 17 

Betty. Only a few minutes more grace, ladies, 
and then these tables must be gotten out of the way. 

{The ladies work rapidly. Meg peers out cautiously 
and catches sight of Miss Mills, who fumbles 
desperately with her hag, pausing every instant 
to look guiltily about. Finally extracts the ten 
dollars. Meg ivatches her in amazement. She 
fumbles for vest, finds it and tries nervously to 
replace money in pocket.) 

Meg. {stepping half out of hiding place) Gee! 
Gee! {she has one hand in folds of overcoat, as 
she leans forward staring. The silk waist stuffed 
carelessly under her coat shows somewhat. Mrs. 
Davenport at table up r. turns suddenly and sees 
her) 

Mrs. Davenport, Stop thief, {starts down. 
Miss Mills drops money and vest to table with 
shriek. Meg runs l. i e.) 

Mrs. Davenport, {running after her) Stop her, 
Miss Mills. That girl — She should be searched. 
{ladies and girls come running dozvn. Miss Mills 
stands helpless) 

Meg. {turning defiantly at l. i e.) Search 
nuttin'. Get onto your own graft, youse. {rushes 
out L. I e.) 

(Mrs. Davenport runs out after her.) 

Mrs. Chase. Did you ever? " Get onto your 
own graft ! " Ha, ha, ha ! What could she have 
meant ? 

Mrs. Bailey. She must have heard us talking 
of giving this money to the cause, {shakes candy 
box with change in it) But what else would we do 



i8 BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 

with it? We don't know where any of these things 
came from. 

Mrs. Chase. Of course not. Just advertising 
in the newspaper as we did for any one who had 
any old clothes to donate to leave word at the Star 
office, and then sending a man around to collect 
them, how could we tell tother from which? 

Mrs. Johnson, (making her way through to 
front with large feather duster in her hand) 
'' Finders keepers, losers weepers ; " that's what we 
used to say when we was young ones. 

Mrs. Bailey. Well, I don't think any one would 
weep much over the loss of a nickel. Besides, 
every cent of it will go to Charity, {shakes box 
again) 

{Re-enter Mrs. Davenport, l. i e.) 

Mrs. Davenport. {breathlessly, coming back 
to c.) That girl runs like the wind. You should 
have seized her. Miss Mills. There's no telling how 
much she has stolen. 

Miss Mills. I was too startled, I — I 

Mrs. Johnson. Did you see her stealin' any- 
thing, Mrs. Davenport? 

Mrs. Davenport. I saw a silk waist stuffed 
under her coat, and there's no telling what else she 
had made way with. I really feel that we should 
report her to the police. 

Miss Mills, {in great distress) Oh, no, Mrs. 
Davenport. She is so young, and, and, the tempta- 
tion 

Mrs. Davenport. Temptation is to be overcome, 
Miss Mills. 

Miss Mills. Ah, but she hasn't been taught that, 
probably. 

Mrs. Davenport. Nor would she be. Mrs. 



BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 19 

Johnson was telling me to-day that she invited her 
to join the Sunday School, and she simply made up 
a face at her. 

Kate, {entering r. 3 e. and coming down) The 
girls are getting dressed for the minuet, Mrs. Daven- 
port, and Dorothy said to ask you to please hurry up 
vv^ith the tagging, {goes up and out r. 3 e.) 

Mrs. Glenn. I think we are about through, as 
it is. {she and Mrs. Hill go hack to table up l., 
Mrs. Chase and Mrs. Bailey to table up l. c. 
Mrs. Johnson strolls over to table down r. and ex- 
amines things. Miss Mills lingers near table 
doivn L.) 

Mrs. Davenport, {going up to table up r.) I 
still maintain that the authorities are the only ones 
to cope with that class of people. 

(Miss Mills picks up vest furtively from table 
dozun L. and is trying to replace money.) 

Kate, {appearing at r. 3 e.) Oh, Miss Mills, 
will you come and play for us, please? (Miss 
Mills drops money and vest to table unseen and 
goes up and out r. 3 e.) 

(Mrs. Johnson strolls l. while other ladies are 
intent on work at tables and unnoticing. She 
examines things on table down l. ; finds money; 
starts, snatches it up, looks furtively in all 
directions, comes down a little to examine it 
more closely, pulls out old-fashioned purse from 
her pocket, hesitates, thrusts it back into 
pocket.) 

Mrs. Johnson, {apart, dramatically) " Get thee 
behind me, Satan." {she must say this as if she 
really did not want to, but was compelled by con- 



20 BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 

science. She backs to table with hand holding 
money behind her, and tosses gold piece backward 
amongst things on table without looking. Then goes 
out L. I E. swishing dust brush fiercely against im- 
aginary dust on floor) 

( The ladies continue to work busily at tables. Mrs. 
Bailey, apparently finishing at her end, comes 
down to table down l. Begins to turn over 
things. Suddenly catches sight of money. 
Bends forward incredulously. Looks swiftly 
about, then, with her head turned up stage over 
her shoulder, reaches steathily for the money.) 

{Re-enter Mrs. Johnson l. i e. She catches sight 
of Mrs. Bailey.) 

Mrs. Johnson, {bursting suddenly into loud 
singing) 

Come, ye sinners, poor and needy, 
Weak and wounded, sick and sore; 

{At the same time, she brandishes dust brush 
absurdly over wall next to table. At the first 
word, Mrs. Bailey whirls and clutches up 
handiest article and pretends to examine tag, 
then another and another. The other ladies 
start and look toward Mrs. Johnson smiling. 
She dusts woodwork of lobby vigorously.) 

Mrs. Glenn, {as song ends) I haven't heard 
that song for forty years, Mrs. Johnson. Where 
on earth did you resurrect it ? 

Mrs. Johnson. I dunno. It just come to me. 

Mrs. Glenn. It used to be sung a great deal 
when I was a girl, at revivals and such places. 



BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 21 

Mrs. Johnson. I reckon it's as good now as it 
was then. 

Mrs. Bailey. These things seem to be all tagged. 
(strolls up) 

Mrs. Johnson, (aside, bending over table and 
lifting clothing off of money). It done the work. 
(She crosses r. and dusts woodwork and doors) 

Dorothy, (re-entering r. 3 e. m costume and 
coming down) Tables back, please. If you're not 
through, you'll have to finish afterward. 

Mrs. Glenn. Everything seems to be finished 
here. 

Mrs. Chase. And here, too. (ladies move tables 
back against walls l.) 

Dorothy, (coming to table down l.) Will some- 
body help me move this table, please? (glances 
over table, catches sight of money, starts, bends for- 
ward intently, casts a swift glance around) 

Mrs. Johnson. I'll help you, Miss Dorothy. 
(starts L., drops brush, stoops to pick it up) 

(Dorothy; with swift glance at her, drops her 
handkerchief over the money. Mrs. Johnson 
regains her brush, crosses l. and they move 
table back.) 

Dorothy. Oh! My handkerchief, (picks up 
money with handkerchief and starts up) 

Mrs. Johnson, (apart, bending over table) It's 
gone! (stares incredulously after Dorothy) 

Dorothy, (at r. 4 e., waving her hand, with 
handkerchief in it) Way for the dancers! Way 
for the dancers! (exit) 

(Ladies come down and group themselves down R. 
Piano sounds, dancers come in through door- 
way up c. if practicable, it not, through r. 3 e. 



22 BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 

Dance, of course, takes place well down front. 
Any dance may be substituted for the minuet, 
according to choice of players. While the dance 
is in progress, Meg appears at window R. 2 e. 
and watches it, unobserved by ladies or dancers. 
At conclusion of dance, ladies applaud and 
start up. Meg dodges back from window. 
Ladies replace tables. Meg peers in again 
cautiously at window.) 

Mrs. Chase, {picking up candy box from her 
table and shaking it) What are we going to do 
with this *' graft money of ours? " {opens box and 
counts money) Eighty-five cents. What shall I 
do with it? 

Mrs. Hill. Oh, put it up there with those empty 
candy boxes for to-night. Nobody would think of 
any money's being there, and to-morrow we can use 
it to make change. 

Mrs. Chase, {going up to candy booth r. c.) 
It's the third box on the lower row here. See? 
(Meg twists at window to see and then disappears) 

Mrs. Davenport, {coming down and looking 
about with satisfied air) Well, ladies, I believe 
everything is finished at last and ready for the sale. 

{Enter Nellie Reed l. i e. Crosses c.) 

Nellie, {breathlessly) Oh, Mrs. Davenport, 
Mother says will you please look in the brown suit 
she sent — Mr. Andrews, that boards with us, he 
told her she could give it to the rummage sale, so 
she did, and now he's just got home and he says he 
just remembers that there was a ten dollar gold 
piece in the vest pocket that he slipped in there one 
day when we was in a hurry, and so mother says 
will you please look and find it and give it to me. 



I 



BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 23 

Mrs. Davenport, {excitedly, overhauling things 
on table down r.) Did you hear, ladies? Ten 
dollars in a brown vest. Would you know the vest 
if you saw it, child? 

Nellie. Oh, yes'm, I'd know it. 

Mrs. Chase, {at table down r., holding up vest) 
Is this it? 
. Nellie. Yes'm, that's it. 

(Mrs. Chase goes through pockets, ladies looking 
on. Mrs. Johnson remains a little apart down 

L.) 

" Mrs. Chase, {turning pockets inside out) Well, 
there's no ten dollar gold piece here. 

Mrs. Davenport. That girl! She's stolen it. 
I said she should have been searched. 

{Re-enter Miss Mills r. 3 e. She comes dozvn.) 

Mrs. Davenport. You should have stopped her, 
Miss Mills, when I called to you. 

Miss Mills, {dazedly) What is it? 

Mrs. Davenport. That girl has stolen ten dol- 
lars. I shall telephone the police at once, {starts 
up) 

Miss Mills, {seizing her arm) Oh, no, Mrs. 
Davenport. It, it's a mistake. It, it must be. 

Nellie. Oh, no, ma'am. That's Mr. Andrew's 
vest, and it was right in the pocket, he said. 

Mrs. Davenport. I shall notify the police at 
once. 

Miss Mills, {growing more agitated) It, it 
might have fallen out. We'll find it; oh, we'll 
surely find it. 

Mrs. Bailey, {nervously turning over things on 
table) Yes, it's fallen out, Mrs. Davenport. It's 



24 BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 

probably right here. Wait till we've looked 
thoroughly. 

Mrs. Davenport. And meantime, she will have 
spent the money. It's useless to argue, ladies, that 
girl was a thief, {both Miss Mills and Mrs. 
Bailey start violently and redouble their exertions 
in shaking out things, etc.) She had all the ear- 
marks of a thief. Hadn't I driven her out before? 
And still she comes sneaking back to see what she 
could lay her hands on. It needs the police to cope 
with such a creature as that, {she starts up) 

(Re-enter Dorothy and Betty r. 3 e. They come 
down.) 

Betty. What is it? What's the matter? 

Mrs. Davenport. That girl. She has stolen ten 
dollars. 

Betty. Ten dollars! How? Where? (she 
hurries Dorothy down front) 

Mrs. Johnson, (down l. c, looking significantly 
at Dorothy) Somebody's stole ten dollars, 
Dorothy, and your mother thinks it was that girl. 
She's goin' to telephone to the police. 

Dorothy, (starting violently) The police! Oh, 
no! 

(Betty presses closer to table. Mrs. Davenport's 
voice is heard from adjoining room. During 
following, Dorothy must show agitation and 
uncertainty.) 

Mrs. Davenport. I want the Police Depart- 
ment. The Police Department, yes. Hello. Is 
that the Police Department? Well, I want to re- 
port a theft at the Caprician Avenue Church. 
What? Theft. Th&ii, theft. Thief. (Dorothy 



I 



BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 25 

starts and moves tozvards table) Can you under- 
stand that? A thief has been in here stealing 
things, and— What's that? You'll call the cap- 
tain ? Yes, I'll hold the line, but please hurry. 

Mrs. Johnson. You take a look through the 
things, Miss Dor'thy. You've got keen eyes. 

(Dorothy sends her a suspicious glance, hesitates, 
moves nearer to table.) 

Miss Mills, {at lozver end of table, laying dress 
hack onto table after shaking it) Strange. It must 
be here somewhere, (steps back and looks about on 
floor) 

Mrs. Johnson. You give it a shake, Dor'thy. 
It's one o' them kind of shirred-up things that the 
money might get caught in. Give it a good shake. 
Maybe Miss Mills didn't shake hard enough. 

(Dorothy looks at her still m^ore suspiciously and 
lifts the dress reluctantly.) 

Mrs. Davenport, {at 'phone hi next room) 
Hello! Is that the Captain of Police? Well, I 
want to report a girl who's been stealing 

Mrs. Johnson, {urgently) Shake it hard, 
Dor'thy. Give it a Jiard shake. 

(Dorothy turns aside, snatches her handkerchief 
steathily from her bosom, shakes dress nerv- 
ously and money falls to floor.) 

Mrs. Johnson. Hooray! Hooray! {picks up 
money. Ladies all exclaim) 

Mr's. Chase. Why, I shook that dress out, not 
five minutes ago. 

Miss Mills. So did I, just a moment ago. It 



2^ BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 

must have caught in the shirring. Oh, I'm so glad 
it's found. 

Dorothy, {nervously) Ye-es, it must have 
caught in the shirring. Tell mamma it's found. 

Mrs. Chase, {going up, calling) The money is 
found, Mrs. Davenport, {exit r. 3 e.) 

Mrs. Hill, {going up, calling) We've found the 
money, Mrs. Davenport, {exit r. 3 e.) 

{They re-enter with Mrs. Davenport.) 

Mrs. Davenport, {as they come down) I still 
maintain that the police should have been asked to 
keep an eye on that girl. The mere fact that she 
was frightened into dropping that money signifies 
nothing. She had her clothes crammed with other 
things. 

Mrs. Hill, {hesitatingly) Perhaps if we knew 
how to get at a girl like that — to, er, sympathize 

Mrs. Davenport. Sympathize! My dear Mrs. 
Hill ! No one has more sympathy for the deserving 
Poor than I. Don't I belong to every charitable 
organization in the city? Haven't I worked my 
finger nails off for this rummage sale? But a thief! 

Mrs. Johnson. Well, as fer as that goes, I don't 
think it's so terrible easy to tell who's thieves and 
who ain't in these days. Pd want to be real dead 
sure before I took to sicin' the police onto any- 
body. 

Mrs. Chase, {looking at watch) Good gracious! 
It's half-past five. I must leave this very minute. 
Clara, {goes up, calling Clara. Exit r. 3 e.) 

Mrs. Bailey. I ought to have been home an 
hour ago. Anybody ready? {starts l.) 

Mrs. Hill. I'm not. I left my bag in the other 
room, {exit r. 3 e.) 



BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 27 

Mrs. Bailey. Well, I must go immediately. 
Good-night, everybody. 

Tke others. Good-night. 

(Re-enter Mrs. Chase, r. 3 e. followed by girls 
with hats and coats on. They all come down, 
exchanging " Good-nights " and exeunt l. i e. 
Mrs. Glenn, Mrs. Hill and Mrs. Davenport 
going slowly l. last.) 

Mrs. Hill, (turning) Aren't you coming, Miss 
Mills? 

Miss Mills, (starting up) My gloves. I've laid 
them down somewhere, in the other room, I think. 

Mrs. Hill. Well, we'll walk on slowly, (exit 
Miss Mills r. 3 e.) 

Mrs. Davenport, (as they reach door l. i e.) 
Be sure you lock up securely, Mrs. Johnson. 

Mrs. Johnson, (going up) Oh, you kin depend 
on me lockin' up all right. 

Mrs. Davenport, Mrs. Glenn and Mrs. Hill. 
Good-night, (exeunt L. i E.) 

Mrs. Johnson. Good-night, (exit up c.) 

(Lights lower.) 

(Re-enter Miss Mills r. 3 e. Comes down slowly. 
Mrs. Johnson re-enters d. c. crosses r. and 
goes out r. 3 e. Miss Mills stops at table 
down L. and stands as if thinking deeply.) 

Mrs. Johnson, (re-entering r. 3 e. and coming 
dozvn) Well, Miss Mills, you kinda gettin' your 
breath after all this excitement? I was real glad 
you stuck up for that girl the way you did. Thieves 
or no thieves, 'tain't everybody that can say '' Get 
thee behind me, Satan," when there's a ten dollar 



28 BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 

gold piece just, as you might say, throwin' itself 
right in your face. 

Miss Mills. Indeed it is not, Mrs. Johnson. 

Mrs. Johnson. No, sir. And I'll tell you. Miss 
Mills, what I wouldn't tell anybody else, {looks 
about apprehensively and then proceeds impres- 
sively) There's folks right in this church, a-teachin' 
in the Sunday Shool, that 'ud a-scooped in that ten 
dollars quicker'n a wink if I hadn't busted out 
a-singin' " Come ye Sinners " like all possessed and 
scared her out of it. Yes, sir. I seen that with 
my own eyes. 

And another thing, {she pauses again to glance 
apprehensively about and then proceeds still more 
impressively) Do you knov/ why that money didn't 
drop out o' that dress when you and Mis. Chase 
shook it? {bends forward, emphasizing each word 
dramatically) It wasn't there. 

Miss Mills, {starting) Dorothy! 

Mrs. Johnson, {nodding impressively, then com- 
ing down, rattling her keys with entire change of 
manner) I dunno as that Shylock Holmes was 
such a great feller, after all. I used to think he 
was the wonderfullest person I ever heard tell of ; 
but I dunno as it takes such a great one to be a 
detective, after all. {fingers her keys complacently) 

(Miss Mills comes down slowly.) 

Mrs. Johnson, {growing serious again) But 
what I was going to say was, that there ain't any 
use of sockin' everything onto that girl, seein' 
there's others that ain't as you might say perfect. 
She may be bad enough, but there's something about 
her that makes a body think she might amount to 
something if she was went at right. To-night's 
choir practice night, and I bet she'll be huddled 



BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 29 

down on the choir steps same as usual. You try 
and speak to her, Miss Mills. Everybody knows 
that you're a real Christian, and 

Miss Mills, (turning away with deprecating 
gesture) Oh, hush, Mrs. Johnson. 

Mrs. Johnson. Oh, I know folks don't like to 
be praised to their face, but it's true, and everybody 
knows that you're an example to the whole church. 
(Miss Mills covers her face with her hands) and 
as I sez to Ezra, sez I, " Ellen Mills couldn't do 
anything wrong 

Miss Mills, {facing about, speaking rapidly and 
passionately) Hush, Mrs. Johnson. / stale that 
ten dollars in th^ very first place. I took it out of 
that vest pocket. I, I seemed to need money so. 
It, it seemed almost a providence. But — I couldn't 
keep it. Instantly I knew I was a thief — and — I 
tried to put it back — and then Mrs. Davenport cried 
out " Stop Thief — and — I dropped it, like the guilty 
thing I was, and left it there to tempt those other 
two. / an example! {rushes out l. i e.) 

Mrs. Johnson, {who has stood as if stricken 
dumb during this, and now stares after her aghast) 
Her! {takes a step or two l. still staring at door 
l. I E.) And her father was a minister, and her 
grandfather was a minister! My land o' Goshen! 
(comes back to c. and stands thinking dazedly) 
There's her, and me, and Mis. Bailey and Dorothy. 
Talk about that girl! We'd have no call to open our 
mouth if she'd a-stole the hull shx)otin' match 
(exit R. I E.) 

(Lights lower.) 

Mrs. Johnson, (re-entering r. i e., with hat and 
shawl or jacket on, crossing l.) Land! I feel 
dreadful tired and used up. I do hope Ezry's had 



30 BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 

spunk enough to get the tea-kettle goin'. (exit l. i e., 
locking door after her) 

(Lights out.) 

(Two hours is supposed to elapse. Very faint 
light shows through window r. Window is 
pushed up from outside. Meg can he faintly 
seen climbing in. She first tosses in basket then 
springs to floor and closes window softly. 
Moonlight grows stronger through window. 
Meg fumbles over tables, getting various 
articles, carrying them to streak of moonlight 
to examine them and then stuffing them into 
basket. Lights up just a little.) 

Meg. (dragging basket toward window R.) Now 
for dat eighty-five cents fer de cause. Bottom row, 
t'ird box to de right, (she goes stealthily up c. and 
into candy booth) One, two, t'ree, (feeling boxes) 

(Sound of book falling or some one moving in 
church down r. Meg darts dozvn, drags basket 
toward window r. and crouches behind table 
down R.) 

(Enter Miss Mills, letting in dim gaslight as door 
opens R. IE. Meg watches her as she crosses 
to table down L. and searches for music roll. 
As she lifts it, the brown vest beside it slips 
to floor. She picks it up, holds it an instant, 
and then lays it back on table with a little 
shudder. ) 

Miss Mills. God be merciful to all thieves. To 
me, and to that other child of thine, scourged as a 
thief, while I stood here unscathed. God, thou 



BEFORE THE RUMMAGE SALE 31 

canst do all things. Keep me ever in remembrance 
that she is my sister, my younger sister, to be loved 
and taught, and on her part to love and teach me 
also, by our common mistakes and weaknesses. So, 
hand in hand, grant us to look more and more to 
Thee, and in Thy mercy save us both, Thy children, 
equally, {crosses slozvly R. Exit r. i e.) 

(Meg remains crouching, looking after her as if 
fascinated. Soft organ music is heard in 
church. (Something on the order of Schu- 
mann's Traumeri) Meg moves slozvly down, 
overturning basket carelessly, as if forgetting 
its existence. Stands listening intently to 
music.) 

Meg. (brokenly, with much feeling, clasping her 
hands) Say, God— I can't give it to you like she 
could,— but if you is runnin' t'ings, like she says, 
why— gimme a show, won't yer, God, just gimme a 
show. 

SLOW CURTAIN. 



JUL 31 }913 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



016 103 954 8 




